Earl Brown, age 71, of Mahnomen, MN, died Sunday, December 26, 2010 at the Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home in Mahnomen.


Earl Dean Brown, the son of Asa and Neoma (Johnson) Brown, was born on December 5, 1939 in Breckenridge, MN. He grew up in Barnesville, MN, and attended school there. As a teenager, he was active with the Barnesville High School football team and graduated in 1957. He then moved with his family to a farm near Mahnomen, MN, and hauled milk for the Waubun Creamery. In the early 1960's, Earl moved to Minneapolis, MN, where he was employed with the railroad. A few years later, he moved back to the family farm and began working at the Ford Garage in Fosston, MN. After over 20 years, the Garage closed and Earl started working on the Dean Walz dairy farm. He moved to Bejou, MN, in the late 1990's and started working at the Shooting Star Casino. For the last five years Earl has made his home at the Valley View Commons in Mahnomen.


Earl was an extremely organized individual and was able to keep track of almost everything. He enjoyed his independence but relied greatly on his family. He was a sports fan and closely followed the Mahnomen Indian Football team as well as the Minnesota Vikings. Earl liked to visit with friends and in his younger years, enjoyed socializing at the Flowing Well Tavern. He always had a good joke for those he visited with. He made many good friends at Valley View and looked forward to his morning coffee at the Red Apple Café.


Earl is survived by three brothers: Glen (Dorothy) Brown, Fosston, MN, Jim (Irene) Brown, Milwaukee, WI, and Howard Brown, Oklahoma City, OK; three sisters: Betty (Vince) Boit, Safford, AZ, Edith (Arvid) Kaiser, Detroit Lakes, MN, and Naomi (Scoop) Steinmetz, Mahnomen. He is preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Leo Brown; sister-in-law, Janet Brown; brother-in-law, Warren Quast; two nephews, Randy Boit and Jimmy Boit and a great nephew, Adam Steinmetz.

Funeral Services were held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at Anderson-Mattson Funeral Home in Mahnomen. Pastor Nathan Baker-Trinity was the officiant. Naomi Steinmetz and Pastor Nathan provided music. Serving as pallbearers were Paul Boit, Doug Brown, Dean Brown, Jim Steinmetz, Marty Brown, and Mike Quast. All of his friends at Valley View Commons where honorary pallbearers. Visitation was held one hour prior to the funeral on Wednesday. Inurnment will take place at Mitchell Cemetery, rural Barnesville, MN at a later date.